Q&A
Bill Badger, a spokesman for COSMIX, explains the Colorado Department of Transportation’s plan to close the Bijou Bridge, one of the gateways to downtown Colorado Springs, this week. The bridge will be demolished and rebuilt as part of COSMIX – Colorado Springs Metro Interstate Expansion Project – to widen Interstate 25 through the city to three lanes. The cost of the Bijou Bridge project is $10 million.
Q: When is the Bijou Bridge closing?
A: The bridge was scheduled to close Tuesday, however snow and ice removal from the most recent storm have slowed things up. We’re scheduled to try to get it closed by midnight Tuesday. Demolition of the bridge will begin the day after closing, and it will take two or three weeks to demolish.
Q: How will the bridge be destroyed?
A: We’re going to demolish it mechanically using pieces of heavy equipment – big excavators with modified pieces of equipment with claws and jackhammers. It’s a little more cost-efficient to do it mechanically. To use explosives to take down a bridge that crosses the interstate, you will have to actually close the interstate for longer than the city is willing to implement a detour through the city.
Q: How long will it take to build the new bridge?
A: The entire bridge will take nine months to demolish and rebuild, and we’ll have traffic back on it by early October. The bridge will be a little bit wider to accommodate more traffic. Right now, only two lanes of traffic can cross underneath the bridge, so it has to be demolished and rebuilt to accommodate three lanes in both directions.
Q: What alternative routes are recommended?
A: A temporary off-ramp will be just south of the current Bijou Street, exit 142. You’ll still be able to get off at exit 142. It’s going to be called Pikes Peak rather than Bijou, so there will be a new temporary exit to get on to Pikes Peak, which will take you to Colorado Avenue and then east into downtown Colorado Springs or west to Old Colorado City and Manitou Springs.
From northbound Interstate 25, motorists should use the Nevada/Tejon Street exit 140.
– Erin Emery, Denver Post staff writer
REGIONAL NOTES
BRIGHTON
Reprieve for clearing sidewalks
Due to unusually heavy snowfall, the city of Brighton has suspended until Feb. 1 a local ordinance mandating that property owners clear sidewalks along their property in a timely manner.
The city also is working with churches and local community organizations in seeking volunteers to assist the elderly and physically challenged with snow removal.
Those who need assistance can call the Brighton Senior Center at 303-655-2075. Volunteers are asked to contact Diane Seccord at 303-655-2049.
LARIMER COUNTY
Flu-shot clinics scheduled
The Larimer County Department of Health and Environment will be offering flu shots for $15 at two upcoming immunization clinics.
A “flu-shot only” clinic will be held at the Fort Collins Health Department, 1525 Blue Spruce Drive, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday.
There also will be a specially scheduled clinic at the Loveland Health Department, 205 E. Sixth St., from 2 to 6 p.m. Jan. 10.
Residents of Estes Park also can receive the reduced-price flu vaccine through the Estes Park Health Department clinic, 1601 Brodie Ave.
DENVER POST STAFF REPORTS
